Inflates in 40 Seconds, Folds to Fit in a Weekend Bag

This year marks 50 years since Volvo developed its first child seat prototype. To commemorate this half-century milestone, a revolutionary inflatable child seat has been conceived, and its concept model has been unveiled.

Traditional child seats can be bulky and heavy, often making them difficult to carry and install. Drawing on these experiences, the concept model for this inflatable child seat was created by Lawrence Aberle, Design Manager at Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center in Los Angeles.

This seat is designed for rearward-facing installation, which Volvo considers the safest. Equipped with a quiet air pump, it can inflate the seat in approximately 40 seconds and can be folded with the press of a button.



The material used is drop-stitch fabric, which originated in the development of military inflatable aircraft and is now widely used in the boating industry, allowing it to withstand high internal pressure. Furthermore, while still a concept model, variations in surface patterns have been prepared with actual use in mind.

Weighing under 5 kilograms, it is lightweight and half the weight of recent child seats, achieving a size that fits into a weekend travel bag. It also features practical functions such as Bluetooth compatibility, allowing the seat to be inflated with a remote control even when holding a child or carrying items.

This child seat will be useful for travel in taxis and buses, which has been difficult until now, for rental cars during trips, and even when asking grandparents to look after the children. If it becomes available for purchase, it seems likely to be a great help in fulfilling the parental duty of protecting children's safety.